With my upcoming wedding (3 days to go!), a couple of people have asked me what they should wear to the festivities. Here are my favorite outlets for formalwear shopping on a budget.
Bluefly.com
Search Bluefly’s “I’m Invited” categories, which range from casual to black-tie. My one gripe about Bluefly is how their clothes are displayed on mannequins. It always look better on a model! At Bluefly, the prices are already discounted, and you can save more by checking RetailMeNot for coupons.
Aidan Mattox, navy taffeta layered sweetheart dress, $148.99 at Bluefly.
Nordstrom
Check out Nordstrom’s “Guest of Wedding” dresses. Nordstrom also has a “Dress Fit Guide” to help you find a dress with the most flattering fit for your body type.
Maggy London Illusion Back Pleated Matte Jersey Dress, $148 at Nordstrom
Arden B.
Arden B. has a great dress selection. These may be on the more casual side, but you can certainly get away with wearing one of their dresses to semiformal or even outdoor weddings.
Chiffon Floral Print One Shoulder Dress, $69 at Arden B.
Rent It!
Sites like Rent the Runway and Wear Today, Gone Tomorrow rent designer dresses for up to 95% below retail. You can rent a $1,000+ dress for anywhere between $50-$200! Read my post about Rent the Runway here. One of my coworkers is actually renting a dress from Rent the Runway for my wedding. Stay tuned for a post-honeymoon write up on how her renting experience went!
ModCloth
Oh, how I love ModCloth. I don’t really have a use for all the beautiful dresses on their Web site, but a wedding is a perfect excuse! Look smashing and stand out in almost anything you purchase from this site. (Read about my ModCloth purchase here.)
Come Hither Dress, $89.99 at ModCloth
Boutiques
Check out local boutiques in your area, and head straight to the sale rack. You will find designer dresses for less, and unique indie-label brands. When I lived in Orlando, I loved Stahli. For South Floridians, check out Lilac and Lillies and Mina Boutique.
Kensie Provactive Glam Lace Dress, $138.00 at Stahli
Thrifting
You may be surprised at the treasures you can find while thrifting. Most thrift stores that carry designer labels are very selective in choosing their merchandise, so finding a like-new Diane Von Furstenberg for $80 is not totally unlikely. Yeah, thrifting can be hit-or-miss, but it’s certainly worth a try. South Florida readers, check out Couture Exchange and Hibiscus Place in Fort Lauderdale.
Online Sample Sales
I will say right off the bat that if you go this route, you want to start looking a couple of months ahead of time. Shipping from sample sites can take several weeks, and you want to give yourself plenty of time for the dress to arrive and time to find something else if you are not happy with what you ordered. Most sample sale sites only offer store credit for returns, so make sure you know your measurements and what size to order. Read my post on sample sales here.
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Congrats! I hope you post pics and have a great time I Rome, I would love to here your experience there!
Congrats on your wedding! It’s soo close!
… too funny about bluefly. Did you ever notice the ‘stance’ of the models? The legs are so far apart, like any woman actually stands like that. It cracks me up every time.
Hi Jenn,
Thanks for featuring us as a place to shop!! Congrats on your wedding!!
<3 Aire
ModCloth